Home World Forum
Stars! AutoHost web forums

Jump to Stars! AutoHost


 
 
Home » Stars! 2.6/7 » Questions about Stars! AutoHost » Stars! wiki
Stars! wiki Thu, 04 August 2005 17:07 Go to next message
Staz is currently offline Staz

 
Lieutenant

Messages: 514
Registered: November 2003
Location: UK
Here comes another one of my impractical ideas...

At the moment we have a load of information sitting in the forums, and are relying on making some topics in the academy "sticky" so that they can stay at the top.

There is also starsfaq.com but that is not really being maintained any more.

It occurred to me that a better way to capture all the Stars! knowledge and trivia would be in a Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki).

There are versions of Wiki software built with PHP, the same system used for FUDForum (the software that this forum is built on), so it shouldn't be _too_ difficult to set up.

Any comments ?

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Thu, 04 August 2005 18:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kotk

 
Commander

Messages: 1227
Registered: May 2003
Yet another good way to store and maintain information. Nod Only that ... the forces apply like with starsfaq.com or all the rest (once so numerous) stars! pages. Some sturdy person got to maintain the server and the information there. It is not software but human factor that makes autohost exceptional in that light. Wink

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Thu, 04 August 2005 21:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
crr65536 is currently offline crr65536

 
Chief Warrant Officer 3

Messages: 180
Registered: June 2005
One thing I've noticed from checking out Wikis is the fact that spam seems to be rampant. I know of one wiki I used to check regularly, where when looking at it's "Recently Edited Pages" list, 2/3 to 3/4 of the revisions would be marked, "reverted spam".

Often wiki maintainers try to use approaches to stop scripts and spam, but they have their problems. Some require logging in (the aforementioned wiki is now one of them) - but a spammer can just create throwaway accounts. Another approach is having people read the text in a graphic, although I think it's not good as it excludes the blind from using such a site Cool , although in this case it's not really a big deal as probably only a sighted person can play Stars. There are some other ways (for example, have a person type in an answer to a question like "What is crr65536's username?" that a script would have to pretty smart to answer), but they still don't stop manual spamming.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Fri, 05 August 2005 03:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Micha

 

Messages: 2342
Registered: November 2002
Location: Belgium GMT +1
crr65536 wrote on Fri, 05 August 2005 03:28

Another approach is having people read the text in a graphic, although I think it's not good as it excludes the blind from using such a site Cool , although in this case it's not really a big deal as probably only a sighted person can play Stars.

You would think so, he? Wink Check this. Nod

mch

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Fri, 05 August 2005 04:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

For the record, I PM'ed Ron about this very issue awhile back just before the Must Know section was added, with the idea that the sticky topics would eventually annoyingly clutter the top threads of the Academy and suggested a wiki as an alternative.

We both agreed that "keeping it in the family" was better than taking over a piece of wikipedia and were concerned about the potential for wiki abuse. Afaik Ron is looking into the possibility of incorporating some method of restricting edit access to a wiki and linking it to HWF userbase. At the time I didn't really want to open it for general discussion myself as he's a busy man and probably doesn't need the pressure(besides... the stuff he already does is more important to us...well...me), and I for one am patient and willing to wait since I don't have the resources to kick start it myself.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 27 September 2005 04:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Sgt. Bulldog is currently offline Sgt. Bulldog

 
Senior Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 88
Registered: November 2002
Location: dk
Fine. You go Wikipedia - I go Uncyclopedia. Twisted Evil

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 27 September 2005 05:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Sgt. Bulldog wrote on Tue, 27 September 2005 20:36

Fine. You go Wikipedia - I go Uncyclopedia. Twisted Evil

You're suggesting we take over a corner of THAT?!? Shocked

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 27 September 2005 18:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
SinicalIdealist is currently offline SinicalIdealist

 
Chief Warrant Officer 3

Messages: 184
Registered: October 2003
Location: North-left US

There is a stars! wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars%21

I only found one problem w/ regard to linking. When you search under strategy games, that entry has no reference to 4X (there is an entry for 4x games on Wiki).

Should've taken the time to do something about it, but I'm at work and stars! isn't my highest priority at the moment.
Shocked

Who knows, maybe links via wiki could help us expand the player base again...





g.e.
====

"When the newspapers have been read, the TV sets shut off, the cars parked
in their various garages. Then, faintly, I hear voices from another star.
(I clocked it once, and the reception is best between 3:00 A.M. and 4:45
A.M.). Of course, I don't usually tell people this when they ask, "Say,
where do you get your ideas?" I just say I don't know. It's safer."
-P. K. Dick

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Thu, 29 September 2005 03:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Sgt. Bulldog is currently offline Sgt. Bulldog

 
Senior Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 88
Registered: November 2002
Location: dk
If nothing else, Stars! deserves a place on such a popular encyclopedia just for its major historic achievement in gaming.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Thu, 29 September 2005 15:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
crr65536 is currently offline crr65536

 
Chief Warrant Officer 3

Messages: 180
Registered: June 2005
SinicalIdealist wrote on Tue, 27 September 2005 18:11

There is a stars! wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars%21

I only found one problem w/ regard to linking. When you search under strategy games, that entry has no reference to 4X (there is an entry for 4x games on Wiki).

Should've taken the time to do something about it, but I'm at work and stars! isn't my highest priority at the moment.
Shocked

Who knows, maybe links via wiki could help us expand the player base again...





It appears to me that that is not a full wiki, but rather a single page in a wiki (namely the wikipedia).

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 17 January 2006 06:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

I wrote on Fri, 05 August 2005 20:44

For the record, I PM'ed Ron about this very issue awhile back just before the Must Know section was added, with the idea that the sticky topics would eventually annoyingly clutter the top threads of the Academy and suggested a wiki as an alternative.

We both agreed that "keeping it in the family" was better than taking over a piece of wikipedia and were concerned about the potential for wiki abuse. Afaik Ron is looking into the possibility of incorporating some method of restricting edit access to a wiki and linking it to HWF userbase. At the time I didn't really want to open it for general discussion myself as he's a busy man and probably doesn't need the pressure(besides... the stuff he already does is more important to us...well...me), and I for one am patient and willing to wait since I don't have the resources to kick start it myself.


Since writing the above my resources have improved, I've gained ADSL(god how did I survive so long on dial up Laughing ) and, as some of you may have noticed, I now have my own address and not just a hosted website, hosted on a box at a friend's place. I'm currently setting up a wiki using the MediaWiki software which I intend as a Stars! Wiki. Hopefully, all we need to do is upgrade one of the php extensions and it will be all go. I'll let you all know when its ready. Control systems and restricting edits etc will be a learning curve which I'm happy to deal with as it goes.

In the mean time, I'd like some input from everyone about the basic structure of the wiki. My only two thoughts so far are to copy the Stars! page at Wikipedia to use as a front page. This is very easy - a copy and paste from one editor to the other and then recreate the Stars! Help file, for the structure of the other wiki pages.

As an aside about survivability of the wiki should my resources ever diminish to the point that it becomes untenable, because it is composed of a mysql database with a php frontend, the entire wiki should be able to be moved to another host relatively easily.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 17 January 2006 15:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ron is currently offline Ron

 
Commander
Forum Administrator
Stars! AutoHost Administrator

Messages: 1231
Registered: October 2002
Location: Collegedale, TN
One idea for authentication is to give out wiki login accounts to those here on HWF that have attained a certain rank.

It would probably make more sense to host the wiki here on SAH website, but as you said it would be easily portable it probably fine to have it hosted on your site -- share the 'power' Twisted Evil Razz




Ron Miller
Stars! AutoHost

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 17 January 2006 16:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mlaub is currently offline mlaub

 
Lieutenant

Messages: 744
Registered: November 2003
Location: MN, USA
Ron wrote on Tue, 17 January 2006 14:24

One idea for authentication is to give out wiki login accounts to those here on HWF that have attained a certain rank.



I'd also recomend only giving out access to people who are willing to disclose who they really are... Cool

-Matt



Global Warming - A climatic change eagerly awaited by most Minnesotans.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 17 January 2006 17:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dogthinkers is currently offline Dogthinkers

 
Commander

Messages: 1316
Registered: August 2003
Location: Hiding from Meklar
mlaub wrote on Wed, 18 January 2006 08:59

Ron wrote on Tue, 17 January 2006 14:24

One idea for authentication is to give out wiki login accounts to those here on HWF that have attained a certain rank.



I'd also recomend only giving out access to people who are willing to disclose who they really are... Cool

-Matt



Eh, why? Guess I'd better change my handle to JoeG Laughing

We're in for a big surprise when crr65536 reveals that that is indeed, it's real name Shocked

Either way, I don't think we need to be too concerned (about the Wiki, not the Meklar invasion) - the beauty of Wiki is that edits are tracked so well. So if someone maliciously edited the Wiki, then their changes can be rejected, anonymous author or not. Nod

- Joe Cool

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 17 January 2006 19:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

mlaub wrote on Wed, 18 January 2006 10:59

Ron wrote on Tue, 17 January 2006 14:24

One idea for authentication is to give out wiki login accounts to those here on HWF that have attained a certain rank.

I'd also recomend only giving out access to people who are willing to disclose who they really are... Cool

I'll give out access with the same usernames as used here...to keep things simple. PM me for access with your password Smile Can't have too many good editors. Cool

Ron wrote on Tue, 17 January 2006 14:24

It would probably make more sense to host the wiki here on SAH website, but as you said it would be easily portable it probably fine to have it hosted on your site -- share the 'power' Twisted Evil Razz

I agree, hosting it on SAH would be better, if for no other reason then because when my friend's data cap is reached the speed drops to 64kbps. For now, I just want it up and running. Oddly, I despise having power, it comes with too much responsibility. Very Happy

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 17 January 2006 22:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Its up at http://www.gible.net/wiki/

No edits yet, except for the two help pages and the userrights. You'll have to register to edit anything but registration is open to all for now, please use the same username that you use here at HWF.

Need a good pic for the main page too.

oh..and for now...its sloooow...updating the server...and we(the Sysop and I) suspect their cap has been reached...otherwise it'll be my friend torrenting Laughing


[Updated on: Wed, 18 January 2006 02:17]

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Fri, 20 January 2006 00:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
PapaBear is currently offline PapaBear

 
Crewman 1st Class

Messages: 21
Registered: February 2003
Location: Hamilton, New Zealand

Oops - yeah - sorry - had my bandwidth choked this month - too much torrenting and streamed radio sites Sad

Should be sorted in about a couple of days.

Mea Culpa



PalmOS Ergo Sum

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Mon, 23 January 2006 01:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
crr65536 is currently offline crr65536

 
Chief Warrant Officer 3

Messages: 180
Registered: June 2005
Dogthinkers wrote on Tue, 17 January 2006 17:50

mlaub wrote on Wed, 18 January 2006 08:59

Ron wrote on Tue, 17 January 2006 14:24

One idea for authentication is to give out wiki login accounts to those here on HWF that have attained a certain rank.



I'd also recomend only giving out access to people who are willing to disclose who they really are... Cool

-Matt



Eh, why? Guess I'd better change my handle to JoeG Laughing

We're in for a big surprise when crr65536 reveals that that is indeed, it's real name Shocked

Either way, I don't think we need to be too concerned (about the Wiki, not the Meklar invasion) - the beauty of Wiki is that edits are tracked so well. So if someone maliciously edited the Wiki, then their changes can be rejected, anonymous author or not. Nod

- Joe Cool


Ussss find you, Joe. Repay insssult!

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Tue, 24 January 2006 17:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dogthinkers is currently offline Dogthinkers

 
Commander

Messages: 1316
Registered: August 2003
Location: Hiding from Meklar
crr65536 wrote on Mon, 23 January 2006 17:49

Ussss find you, Joe. Repay insssult!



Dang, see what happens when you use your real name... Alien cyborgs come and hunt you down Shocked

- J... Uhhhh, Frank.... Yeah, Frank! Razz

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Sun, 05 March 2006 09:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Staz is currently offline Staz

 
Lieutenant

Messages: 514
Registered: November 2003
Location: UK
gible wrote on Wed, 18 January 2006 03:11

oh..and for now...its sloooow...updating the server...and we(the Sysop and I) suspect their cap has been reached...otherwise it'll be my friend torrenting Laughing


Hi, any progress on this ?

I'd love to start editing this, but right now it's almost unusable.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Mon, 06 March 2006 01:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

afaik its still being upgraded, and I agree its painfully slow to work with. I do my actual editing in a text editor(advanced editing features) and only use the preview/save on the site. Haven't had much time to update it in the last month of so tho since I'm back at school(work). But the bandwidth is there Smile

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Sun, 23 April 2006 18:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Papabear has recently moved house & ISPs, and will likely no longer have a static IP to host gible.net so I'm in the process of moving everything to a new (and faster Smile ) host. Until then, the Wiki is down.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Mon, 24 July 2006 05:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
tgellan is currently offline tgellan

 
Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 75
Registered: May 2006
Location: Luxembourg
Any news on this one?

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Fri, 28 July 2006 04:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Most of my site has moved and the wiki software is up and running, just need to get the data out of the old wiki and insert it into the new one.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Stars! wiki Mon, 06 November 2006 03:38 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

I've no idea when the data from the old site will be able to be inserted into the new wiki, so I've begun entering new articles anyway.(there wasn't *that* much data) The address for it has changed to http://wiki.gible.net/
Ya'll are welcome to create an account and start editing/writing/copying Smile

Top of my list of things to add to the wiki are:
* Pages to define the wiki structure
* The whole of Stars! FAQ (updated where appropriate of course)
* The whole of the help file.
* Zipped mirrors of now-offline Stars! websites

File uploading (pics etc) will be enabled soon Smile

Edit:And if it ever needs moving again. I have a whole new and better plan to do it Very Happy


[Updated on: Mon, 06 November 2006 03:40]

Report message to a moderator

Previous Topic: Finding time zones for players
Next Topic: Help me update the stars dowload link.
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Thu Mar 28 05:00:32 EDT 2024